Dr James Newton, Lecturer in Media Studies in the School of Arts, has written on cult classic films for anyone currently exploring the world of cinema during lockdown, or looking to catch up on classic films they may have missed.
In the piece, James recommends his top six cult classic films. James says: ‘the phrase “cult film” is notoriously imprecise, and can be employed to refer to a wide range of very different films from very different contexts.’
He explains that ‘cult’ can be used as a descriptor for a variety of films, including those that are dismissed by critics but are celebrated by audiences as ‘trashy fun’, as well as films that are offbeat or campy, or didn’t originally achieve much critical or commercial success.
‘The films I suggest tend to appear less commonly (or at least lower down in the running order) on lists of “top cult films”’, explains James. ‘They are stylistically and thematically diverse, and are terrifically entertaining examples of not just ‘cult’ cinema, but the art of film in general’.
Read James’ recommendations on the Kent news page here:
https://www.kent.ac.uk/news/culture/25177/cult-films-an-experts-recommendations